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Texas Relays bring determined Cedar Hill girls squad looking to dethrone DeSoto

The Cedar Hill girls track team became accustomed to finishing right behind DeSoto last season.

DeSoto took first in the District 7-5A meet with 188 points, and Cedar Hill was second with 104. DeSoto then won the area meet with 155 points, and Cedar Hill was the runner-up with 86.

A week later DeSoto won the Region I-5A meet with 114 points, and Cedar Hill, like clockwork, finished second with 70.

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The new season has brought more than a little hope that Cedar Hill will overtake its district rival. Like last year, the squad has posted better times in both the 4x100 and 4x200 relays, and Cedar Hill has a newly competitive 4x400 relay that could challenge for points in both the regional and state meets.

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“Last year we could compete with DeSoto in everything but we didn’t have a 4x4,” Cedar Hill coach Lauren Hall said. “We just weren’t competitive. Now we’re three relays strong with some individual events that we can perform well in.”

The annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, which begin Friday in Austin for high school competitors, should provide a good measuring stick. Many of the areas top relay teams will be competing, including DeSoto, Lancaster, Skyline, Richardson and McKinney North.

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Cedar Hill’s 4x400 ranks fourth in the area after running a 3:55.34 at the Bob Alpert Relays in Duncanville. That time puts Cedar Hill about a half second behind DeSoto’s fastest time this season.

Cedar Hill’s 4x100 leads the area after posting a time of 46.23 seconds at last weekend’s Jesuit-Sheaner Relays. Four underclassmen comprise the relay, including freshmen Alia Holmes and Jazmyn Shumaker and sophomores Danyel White and I’Shunique Hamilton, who is SportsDay’s reigning newcomer of the year.

Hamilton is out this weekend with a concussion. Sophomore Victoria Jackson, who runs the opening leg of the 4x400, will fill her spot.

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The 4x200, which won gold at state last season, features Holmes, White, junior Dawnshae Evans and senior Sha’Nia Williams.

What Cedar Hill’s relays lack in experience they more than make up for in talent and work ethic – even if that work ethic took some time to develop.

“Last year those freshmen were really unsure about me,” Hall said. “They were unsure about the weight room and things we were doing in the fall. When I’Shunique got fourth in the 100 (at state), I told her she lost the race in the weight room. Now she believes in it. Now she’s a whole different kid, and we’ve trained hard and they’ve bought in.”

Top football talent to compete: Some of the best high school football recruits in the state will be competing in the Texas Relays.

A number of notable area football recruits, including Denton Guyer’s Jerrod Heard, Lincoln’s Emanuel Porter and Wylie’s T’Kevian Rockwell will be in the field this weekend.

Heard, a Texas signee at quarterback, is part of Guyer’s 4x100 and 4x200 relays, the latter of which has posted the fastest time among area 4A schools this season. The 4x200 relay took seventh at state last year.

Porter, a TCU signee at wide receiver, will run all three relays after helping Lincoln to medals in the 4x100 and 4x200 last season. Rockwell, a future Baylor linebacker, will run the 4x100 relay.

Multi-talented

A look at some of the top area football recruits competing in this weekend’s Texas Relays.

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2014 Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays

Where: Mike A. Myers Stadium, Austin

When: Friday-Saturday; High school running and field events begin at 1:30 p.m. Friday

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Tickets: $20 reserved seating, $10 general admission both days

More information: www.texassports.com